Wave wrestlers finish 11th at Idaho tourney

It’s been on the schedule all season but Mother Nature tried her best to prevent Fallon from going to Idaho.

The Greenwave wrestling team caught a break in the weather and placed 11th out of 60 teams at the Rollie Lane Wrestling Invitational in Nampa, Idaho, on Jan. 7 as five wrestlers medaled.

“We didn’t know if we were going to make it up there or not because of the weather, but we made it,” Fallon coach Trevor de Braga said. “When we got up there, there was close to a foot of snow in Nampa.”

Jack Swisher finished second while Tommy McCormick (113) finished fourth and Sean McCormick took fifth. Matt Goings and Ben Dooley each finished sixth.

“I feel like we should have had another couple placers but I can’t complain,” de Braga said. “We had chances to get higher places and we were right on the edge of winning those close matches.”

Fallon competes in the Silver State on Friday and Saturday when it travels to Spring Creek for the Kiwanis Invitational. De Braga said conditioning is starting to pay off as Fallon nears league and regional competition.

“Conditioning is getting where we need to be and our intensity, the boys are bringing is very exciting for what is to come,” de Braga added. “We will get to see a handful of league competitors this weekend at the Kiwanis invitational in Spring Creek.”

Swisher was the only wrestler to not drop into consolation. He won his first two bouts by pin before scoring 7-4, 5-2 and 4-3 decisions to advance to the title bout with Rocky Mountain’s Nate Cooper. Swisher, though, fell short in losing 10-4.

Tommy McCormick advanced to the quarterfinal of the championship bracket after three straight wins, including a bye. McCormick, though, lost by decision but won another three in a row to set up the battle for third. Jordan Grimm (Post Falls) decisioned McCormick, 6-3.

Sean McCormick won his first three matches but fell in the quarters by major decision. However, he won two in a row by pin and major decision but lost his third consolation to drop to the fifth place bout. McCormick defeated Walla Walla’s Edwin Romero by major decision (11-0).

Goings made it to the semifinal round after four straight wins but two straight losses sent him to the fifth place bout. Colville’s Thailer Morrison barely defeated Goings, 3-2.

Dooley won his first two via bye and forfeit but dropped a 3-2 decision to Caldwell’s Travis Mitchell to drop into consolation. Dooley, though, won four in a row in consolation — all by pinfall — but saw his streak snap to drop him into the fifth place bout. Moscow’s Adam Wallace won, 5-3.

Mason Smith (120) advanced to the quarters after three wins but lost to Post Fall’s AJ Delarosa and Columbia’s Angel Rios to miss out on the medal round. Terry White (120) won his first match but lost in the second round to drop into consolation where he won twice. Eagle’s Ashton Manderscheid ousted the Fallon grappler, 4-1 in the consolation’s fourth round.

Conley Hyde (170) won his first two bouts before dropping into consolation. Hyde, though, won his first bout in the bracket before losing to Bishop Kelly’s Kash Anderson by technical fall, 15-0. Chase Hyde (195) also won his first two but dropped his next two, including a 5-1 decision to Rocky Mountain’s Davis Steiner.

Mark Moyle (220) dropped into consolation but advanced via bye in the consolation before losing to Arvada West’s Conrad Deherrera by pin. Leo Aicher and Tanner Stritenberger (both at 145), Blane Aicher (152) and Kobe Abe (285) wrestled in three matches at 145 pounds with each winning one bout.